Teenagers on TikTok: Play, Mimesis, and “Digital Authority”

Context and relevance. This article is based on the analysis of an empirical study of viral videos of the Russian-language segment of the digital social platform TikTok. The productivity of the theoretical schemes proposed by M.Yu. Kondratiev for studying the psychology of teenagers using digital communication is discussed. The key ideas are M.Yu. Kondratiev's ideas about play, authority, and the characteristics of growing up in a mono-structured teenagers group.
Objective. The objective is to analyze the results of an empirical study using TikTok in the context of M.Yu. Kondratiev's ideas about the role of play, authority, and the characteristics of growing up in a mono-structured teenagers group.
Hypothesis. The research question is based on the assumption of the universality and heuristic nature of the theoretical schemes used by M.Yu. Kondratiev to characterize teenagers.
Methods and materials. The praxis method, a method for analyzing the products of activity, is used as a method for collecting and analyzing empirical data. The research materials were extracted from the Russian-language segment of the digital social platform TikTok (a digital resource for video sharing). The initial sample was 2520 videos, then 215 “viral videos” with high usage rates (views, approvals, forwards, comments) were selected.
Results. It turned out that some of the viral videos contain topics typical for teenagers – about school life, exams, videos demonstrating repetition games, etc. It is concluded that the teenage group takes an active part in the formation of a pool of viral videos in the Russian-language segment of TikTok. Based on the obtained results, the relevance of M.Yu. Kondratiev's ideas regarding teenagers' communications on digital communication platforms with strong algorithmic support is discussed.
Conclusions. It is concluded that playing on TikTok exists as a phenomenon relevant to the tasks of teenagers' age development; TikTokers' authority is algorithms (artificial intelligence that regulates digital communication), and TikTok, when used rationally, can compensate for the problems of growing up in a mono-structured group.

1. Как работает алгоритм в Тик-Ток: рекомендации по продвижению (2022). URL: https://lpmotor.ru/articles/kak-rabotaet-algoritm-tiktok-2202.
   How the TikTok Algorithm Works: Promotion Recommendations (2022). (In Russ.). URL: https://lpmotor.ru/articles/kak-rabotaet-algoritm-tiktok-2202.
2. Когаловский, С.Р. (2022). Мимесис и символ. Ноосферные исследования, 2, 55–66.
   Kogalovsky, S.R. (2022). Mimesis and symbol. Noospheric Studies, 2, 55–66. (In Russ.).
3. Кондратьев, М.Ю. (2006). Развитие личности в координатах моно- и полидеятельности. Мир психологии, 3, 72–81.
   Kondratyev, M.Yu. (2006). Personality development in the coordinates of mono- and polyactivity. World of psychology, 3, 72–81. (In Russ.).
4. Кондратьев, М.Ю., Кондратьев, Ю.М. (2007). Социально-психологический феномен авторитета и отношения авторитетности в группе. Мир психологии, 4, 67–76.
   Kondratiev, M.Yu., Kondratiev, Yu.M. (2007). Social and psychological phenomenon of authority and authority relations in a group. World of psychology, 4, 67–76. (In Russ.).
5. Кондратьев, М.Ю. (1987). Взаимосвязь авторитета личности и авторитета роли учителя. Вопросы психологии, 2, 101–
   Kondratiev, M.Yu. (1987). The relationship between the authority of the individual and the authority of the role of the teacher. Voprosy Psychologii, 2, 101–102. (In Russ.).
6. Кондратьев, М.Ю., Кочетова, Т.В. (2012). «Traffic psychology»: от прикладных исследований к методологии комплексного изучения современной дорожно-транспортной среды. В: Сборник материалов международной научно-практической конференции «Человек и транспорт (Психология. Экономика. Техника)» (с. 119–122). СПб: ПГУПС.
   Kondratyev, M.Yu., Kochetova, T.V. (2012). “Traffic psychology”: from applied research to the methodology of complex study of modern road transport environment. In: Collection of materials of the international scientific and practical conference “Man and transport (Psychology. Economics. Technology)” (pp. 119–122). SPb: PGUPS. (In Russ.).
7. Кондратьев, М.Ю. (1997). Типологические особенности психосоциального развития подростков. Вопросы психологии, 3, 69–79.
   Kondratiev, M.Yu. (1997). Typological features of psychosocial development of teenagers. Voprosy Psychologii, 3, 69–79. (In Russ.).
8. Петровский, А.В. (1976). Некоторые новые аспекты разработки стратометрической концепции группы и коллективов. Вопросы психологии, 6, 34–44.
   Petrovsky, A.V. (1976). Some new aspects of the development of the stratometric concept of groups and collectives. Voprosy Psychologii, 6, 34–44. (In Russ.).
9. Радина, Н.К. (2016). Социально-психологический феномен «закрытости» М.Ю. Кондратьева: от «закрытой группы» – к «закрытому обществу». Социальная психология и общество, 7(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2016070104
   Radina, N.K. (2016). M.Yu. Kondratyev’s Social Psychological Phenomenon of “Closedness”: From a “Closed Group” to a “Closed Society”. Social Psychology and Society, 7(1), 45–58. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2016070104
10. Радина, Н.К., Балакина, Б.В. (2020). Общество и пандемия: теоретико-методологические основания психологических исследований. Общественные науки и современность, 6, 49–64. https://doi.org/10.31857/S086904990012123-7
    Radina, N.K., Balakina, B.V. (2020). Society and the pandemic: theoretical and methodological foundations of psychological research. Social Sciences and Contemporary World, 6, 49–64. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31857/S086904990012123-7
11. Сиднева, А.Н. (2017). Проблематика умения учиться в отечественной психологии образования: обзор основных концепций. Психологическая наука и образование, 22(6), 56–67. https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2017220605
    Sidneva, A.N. (2017). The Learning to Learn Problem in Russian Educational Psychology: Main Approaches. Psychological Science and Education, 22(6), 56–67. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2017220605
12. Создание аккаунта (2025). URL: https://support.tiktok.com/ru/getting-started/creating-an-account
    Create an account (2025). (In Russ.). URL: https://support.tiktok.com/ru/getting-started/creating-an-account.
13. Хорошилов, Д.А. (2014). Мимесис как объяснительный принцип в психологии и эстетике. Психологические исследования, 7(36). https://doi.org/10.54359/ps.v7i36.610
    Khoroshilov, D.A. (2014). Mimesis as an explanatory principle in psychology and aesthetics. Psychological Studies, 7(36). (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.54359/ps.v7i36.610
14. Цукерман, Г.А. (1996). От умения сотрудничать – к умению учить себя. Психологическая наука и образование, 2, 27–42.
    Zuckerman, G.A. (1996). From the ability to cooperate to the ability to teach yourself. Psychological Science and Education, 2, 27–42. (In Russ.).
15. Щербакова, В.А. (2020). Паттерны коммуникации подростков в социальных сетях. Коммуникология, 8(1), 128–136. https://doi.org/10.21453/2311-3065-2020-8-1-128-136
    Shcherbakova, V.A. (2020). Communication Patterns of Adolescents on Social Networks. Communicology, 8(1), 128–136. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.21453/2311-3065-2020-8-1-128-136
16. Эльконин, Д.Б. (1989). К проблеме периодизации психического развития в детском возрасте. В: Избранные психологические труды (с. 60–77). М.: Педагогика.
    Elkonin, D.B. (1989). On the problem of periodization of mental development in childhood. In: Selected psychological works (pp. 60–77). Moscow: Pedagogy. (In Russ.).
17. Akyil, Y., Oral, T. (2024). The mediating role of problematic TikTok use and loneliness in the relationship between mindfulness and psychological resilience in adolescents. Discover Psychology, 4(1), 204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-024-00317-0
18. Cervi, L., Tejedor, S., Llado, C.M. (2021). TikTok and the new language of political communication: the case of Podemos. Cultura, Lenguaje y Representación, XXVI, 267–287. https://doi.org/10.6035/clr.5817
19. Conte, G., Iorio, G.D., Esposito, D., Romano, S., Panvino, F., Maggi, S., Altomonte, B., Casini, M.P., Ferrara, M., Terrinoni, A. (2024). Scrolling through adolescence: a systematic review of the impact of TikTok on adolescent mental health. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-024-02581-w
20. Dankowska-Kosman, M. (2021). TikTok is a new space for teenager’s communication. Rozprawy Społeczne, 15(3), 166–176. https://doi.org/10.29316/rs/140024
21. Foster, A., Ellis, N. (2024). TikTok-inspired self-diagnosis and its implications for educational psychology practice. Educational Psychology in Practice, 40(4), 491–508. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2024.2409451
22. Gray, J.E. (2021). The geopolitics of platforms’: the TikTok challenge. Internet Policy Review, 10(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.14763/2021.2.1557
23. Jacobs, A., Pan, Y.-C., Ho, Y.-C. (2025). Exploring the Effectiveness of Bite-Sized Learning for Statistics via TikTok. International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education Revue, 39(2). https://doi.org/10.55667/10.55667/ijede.2024.v39.i2.1334
24. Lamimi, I.J., Alaoui, S.M., Ouelfatmi, M. (2024). Bite-Sized Learning on TikTok: Exploring the Platform’s Educational Value within the Framework of TAM (Technology Acceptance Theory). Open Journal of Social Sciences, 12, 228–245. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2024.124015
25. Latour, B. (2005). Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to the Actor-Network Theory. Oxford, England and New York, NY, USA: Oxford University Press.
26. Ling, C., Blackburn, J., De Cristofaro, E., Stringhini, G. (2022). Slapping Cats, Bopping Heads, and Oreo Shakes: Understanding Indicators of Virality in TikTok Short Videos. In: WebSci '22: Proceedings of the 14th ACM Web Science Conference (pp. 164–173). Barcelona, Spain. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2111.02452
27. Montag, C, Yang, H., Elhai, J.D. (2021). On the Psychology of TikTok Use: A First Glimpse From Empirical Findings. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, Article 641673. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.641673
28. Regasa, A., Ettisa, D.L. (2023). The impact of tiktok on students: a literature review. Qeios. https://doi.org/10.32388/epfgo6
29. Risalah, A.M., Rina, N. (2024). Comparison of Tiktok Application Users Between the Implementation of Creativity and Addictive Behavior. Journal of Research and Community Service, 5(4), 487–497. https://doi.org/10.59188/devotion.v5i4.714
30. Rodriguez, A., Zhao, X. (2024). Pushing against the panic: Considering the positives of TikTok and children. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 0(0), 1–11 https://doi.org/10.1177/13678779241276011
31. Virós-Martín, C., Montaña-Blasco, M.. Jiménez-Morales, M. (2024). Can’t stop scrolling! Adolescents’ patterns of TikTok use and digital well-being self-perception. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, Article 1444. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03984-5
32. Zenone, M.N., Ow, S. (2021). Barbic TikTok and public health: a proposed research agenda. BMJ Global Health, 6(11), Article e007648. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007648
33. Zheluk, A.A., Anderson, J., Dineen-Griffin S. (2022). Adolescent Anxiety and TikTok: An Exploratory Study. Cureus, 14(12), Article e32530. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.32530
34. Zulli, D., Zulli, D.J. (2022). Extending the Internet meme: Conceptualizing technological mimesis and imitation publics on the TikTok platform. New Media & Society, 24(8), 1872–1890. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820983603